The properties will add 14,000 rooms to its portfolio in
those areas, the Stamford, Connecticut-based company said today
in a statement. It currently has 82 hotels in the region, with
about 22,000 rooms.

“Starwood continues to see demand for growth of all of our
brands across the Middle East and Africa despite economic and
political uncertainty in some parts of this incredibly diverse
region,” Frits van Paasschen, chief executive officer of
Starwood, said in the statement. “Rapid economic growth, rising
personal incomes, a growing middle class and ever greater global
connectivity are driving new travel patterns and demand for
travel, and this region is at the center of these trends and a
key focus of our growth strategy.”

Starwood said it is focused on markets including the United
Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt, Senegal, South
Africa and Nigeria. The company also said it sees growth
opportunities in Iraq, Pakistan, Angola, Ghana, the Ivory Coast
and East Africa.